Quote:Prince's 'Nothing Compares 2 U' Will Be Simulcast on Radio Stations Nationwide on Wednesday
5/3/2016 by Gary Trust



Prince is seen on stage at the 36th NAACP Image Awards at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on March 19, 2005 in Los Angeles.

KEVIN WINTER/GETTY IMAGES

Stations will play the hit "7 hours and 13 days" after his passing.

The opening line from one of Prince's most beloved songs has sparked a tribute to the late icon, set to air on radio stations worldwide tomorrow (May 4).
KCMP (89.3 The Current) Minneapolis has invited stations to fete the legendary Minneapolis native by joining in a simulcast of Prince's version of "Nothing Compares 2 U," which he wrote in the mid-1980s and which Sinead O'Connor took to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks in 1990; Prince's version reached No. 62 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in 1994.
KCMP, and others, will air Prince's recording of "Nothing" at exactly 5:07 p.m. CT (6:07 ET/3:07 PT) tomorrow. Why that moment? It marks "7 hours and 13 days" since Prince's April 21 passing, referencing the song's famous opening lyric. "It's been 7 hours and 13 days, since you took your love away," Prince's version begins. "I go out every night and sleep all day, since you took your love away …"
Notably, O'Connor's version changed the time span to "7 hours and 15 days."
Among stations in the U.S. reportedly confirmed to join KCMP in the simulcast are tastemakers (and fellow public radio outlets) WFUV New York, WXPN Philadelphia and KEXP Seattle. People are encouraged to listen to a local participating station or streamthecurrent.org/listen, as well as tweet, Facebook or Instagram clips of themselves singing along, using the hashtag #NothingCompares2U.


"I think the shocking suddenness to Prince's passing and at such a young age have combined to throw the entire world for a loop," says KCMP program director Jim McGuinn. "Like [David] Bowie, Prince's music made us all more alive, more accepting, more open to being able to express who we are. But, like no artist in our lifetimes, Prince united people with his music. Black, white, young, old, rich, poor, he cut across all boundaries with music that touched on rock, funk, soul, pop, R&B, new wave and jazz, and the world responded."
McGuinn adds that in Minneapolis, even nearly two weeks after Prince's death, "It's impossible to go to dinner or a party or a water cooler without the conversation somehow sliding over to" the legend.
"We just wanted to honor the man we called our friend, and the music we all love, and thought that maybe we might be able to get radio stations all over the world to share this moment with fans who are missing this great artist."

Quote:Sign O’ The Times is widely celebrated for capturing the artist at his creative peak—blending electrifying concert footage with cinematic storytelling, powerful visuals, and genre-defying sound. Now, enhanced with IMAX’s precision surround sound audio, customized theatre geometry, and crystal-clear images, Prince’s virtuouso performance is set to mesmerize fans old and new in the most epic format available. “Prince – Sign O’ The Times” features some of Prince’s most iconic tracks, including “If I Was Your Girlfriend,” the anthemic title track “Sign O’ The Times,” and “U Got The Look,” Prince’s smash hit duet with Sheena Easton. The film showcases Prince’s unparalleled musicianship, stagecraft, and style, highlighting his timeless impact on music and popular culture.